An opportunity that turned up out of the blue. A whole summer in Iceland. For that, you'll happily put up with a job in a hotel in the middle of nowhere. Because sooner or later, some well-earned time off comes along.
"We packed the tent, sleeping gear and food for three days and headed into the unknown," says Kika about one of those trips where they simply waited to see where hitchhiking would take them. In the end the north wind blew them onto the famous Golden Circle. A flooded volcanic crater, a river so blue it couldn't possibly get any bluer and then – boom! A geyser of water!
As if they weren't up to their necks in water already. "But it's a really great perk not to have to keep fishing out a rain cover for your pack – when this one is waterproof all by itself," says Kika, singling out the main and rather unusual benefit.
Rab Syclon XP is an (un)typical ultralight. In the 28-litre size Kika tested, it weighs 800 grams and is fully waterproof. You can get it in a men's version (30 or 40 litres) and a women's version (28 or 38 litres), which has a narrower build and a shorter back panel.
Fair enough. A waterproof pack – you could just about get your head round that. But at what weight? "It's light as a feather! It's as if I wasn't even carrying it," says Kika of its 800 grams. And she goes straight on: "The fabric is so thin. Light. And yet it seems really tough."
The bad luck was that Kika took a pack four litres bigger than Filip's to Iceland. Only just, but still. "So for the first time in our outdoor career I was the one who had to carry the tent and the stove," she smiles, hoping that next time it'll be back to the good old days.
"Still, I'd never had an ultralight pack of this size before. So this is spot on. On your back you feel every gram, and the Syclon won me over."
Rab Syclon XP is a fully waterproof pack that meets the IPX4 standard. The water-resistant fabric with taped seams keeps your stuff dry even in heavy rain. High-tenacity nylon with Spectra® Ripstop fibres helps prevent damage.
Of course – not everything fitted inside. It may be waterproof, but it isn't inflatable. "The big stretch pockets on the sides and the large front pocket came in really handy at that point," Kika explains where it all went, while also pointing out a shortcoming: "those outer pockets could perhaps be a little bit stretchier."
When there are always clouds hanging over your head and you never know when they'll unload, you split the gear in a (normal) pack into separate dry bags, just to be safe. "That's how I do it, so I like that this one has just one main compartment," Kika comes back to the design of the pack. "Inside there's one more small pocket, complete with a strap and a clip for your keys. And the hydration sleeve is separate, which is nice too."
The roll-top opening lets you expand or shrink the pack depending on how much you're carrying. The rear zip pocket can hold a hydration bladder or keep wet clothes away from dry ones. And trekking poles attach easily to the front of the pack.
Which leaves one question: How does an ultralight with an ultra load actually carry? "It has wide shoulder straps and a comfy hip belt, so it fits like a glove," Kika answers in a single sentence, before expanding on it. "The hip belt cinches down nicely and doesn't dig in anywhere. Maybe the shoulder straps could be a bit more padded, but that's probably more a matter of getting used to it," she muses on a sinful thought that would probably go against the ultra spirit of this pack.
"But the back panel is genuinely really airy," Kika adds, praising the mesh panel. "Actually, the whole pack is nicely dialled in. Really light, and on top of that it comes in a beautiful, unusual green," Kika concludes.
The AEROFIT™ back panel, made of flexible, breathable mesh, draws hot air away from your sweaty back and lets fresh air in. And thanks to its running-vest-style harness, the Rab Syclon XP stays put even when you're moving fast over rough terrain.
